August krastin



(-No Model.)

A. KRASTIN.

MAIL BOX.

, Patented Oct. 31,1893.

Imfzfar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST KYRASTIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED P. ELTEN,

a OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,660, dated October 31, 1893.

Application filed January 6, 1893. SerialNo. 457,530. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, AUGUST KRAsTIN, a subject of the Czar of Russia, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. -Y

My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes' for house service, and its objects are to provide an automatic electric box which cannot be opened for the-withdrawal of mail matter except by a special key, and which will be adapted to give an alarm or signal whenever mail is introduced by the carrier.

My invention consists in the arrangement of internal and external mechanism, and electric connections with the details of construction and arrangements of parts as hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and more specifically pointed out in the claims.

In .the accompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of the box closed, and Fig. la is a view of the electric apparatus in connection therewith.Y Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box showing itopened for the purpose of withdrawing the mail, the alternative positions of the various parts being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 shows so'me of the details in perspective-the walls of the box being broken away for the purpose. Fig. 4 is a vertical central transverse section of box. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through end wall. Fig. 6 is a detail of electric alarm, and Fig. V7 is a vertical section of side of box and electric connections.

In the figures A is the box formed of sti metal; B the door thereto provided with hinges B and lock B2, the key to which is keptV by the owner of the box alone.

C is a hinged cover over the opening C', and is shut by the spring C2 as shown in Fig. 4.

D is a platform to receive the mail matter which is supported upon the coiled spring E, and guided by the vertical posts F at either end. Above this platform are placed the guards G having the extended arms or points G which are pivoted at either end in the ends of the box and are adapted to rise and fall in unison with the cover C, and returned to vthe vertical position by the springs g.

The mechanism for connecting the movementsof the cover and guards is seen to consist in the projection H on the cover and the yoke I provided with vertical stem I' which this projection engages. Lugs J J on the guard shafts are pushed down by the bent over extremities of the yoke when the cover descends turning the guards down over the platform and letter deposited thereon.

When it is desired to remove a letter or postal deposited thereon, the door is opened, the hand inserted between the platform and guard, and the platform depressed as far as required, when on releasing the platform it again rises to its former place. A spring catch K may also be employed to secure the cover Ywhen down. L is an exterior rack for the reception of newspapers or packages, provided with projections Z Z to inclose thepackage. Springs M give a constant pressure for the purpose of retaining the package inclosed by the rack.

In order that the box owner may be made P; a buzzer W is actuated by the other pair of magnets Q. As seen in the drawings, the bell and operating magnet are connected with the movements of the cover and guards, and t-he buzzer with the rack for newspapers, so that the occupant of the room can tell by the character of the signal just what mail he has received, and can go down at once and take vit out. However if he desires he can turn back the switch from the contact points and thus stop the bell or buzzer at once.

The electric connections are as follows: The battery is preferably placed in the lower Vpart of the mail box at where a space is provided for it. y is a current wire connected with one of the poles of the battery and with the electro magnets P. This wire is connect- IOO ed with the platform D and divided in such a manner as t0 have one contact point in the roller 5, and the other in the projecting surface 6. The other pole of the battery is connected with one of the contact points 7 of the switch S by the wire 1.

In use the switch being open as shown in Fig. 1",and the guards G being depressed upon the platform D, as when the cover is closed after depositing a letter the platform will be lowered as in Fig. 7 until the roller 5 will make contact with the surface 6 and thus open the circuit through the magnet P and ring the bell, which will continue to ring until the switch is pulled back by hand. Itwill be seen that closing the cover will not lower the platform D unless a letter or card lies upon it, since the points G' of the guard will not then touch the platform but will pass between its cross bars. Again when a newspaperor other bulky mail matter is placed behlnd the rack L it will push inward the contact point 3 on the current wir-e3 until it makes cont-act with the point 4. on the same circuit. This circuit wire leads to the magnet Q operating. the buzzer W while the other side of the circuit is completed by the wire 2 connecting the opposite pole of the battery with the contact point 8 of the switch.

T T are switch connections respectively with the magnets `P and Q.

It will be seen that both bell and buzzer may sound at once and both may be shut off by withdrawing the switch S.

I Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.I. In an automatic electric mail box A, provided with slot C and spring actuated cover C, in combination with an interior spring actuated platform D, and guard mechanism operated by the movements of the cover in opening and closing.

2. In an automatic electric mail box A, provided with slot C and spring actuated cover C, in combination with an interior spring actuated platform D, and guards G G so arranged as to depress the platform when the cover is depressed after depositing a letter in the box, substantially as described. 5

3. In an automatic electric mailbox, provided with a slot C and cover C, the combination therewith of a depressible letter platform D within the box, hinged guards G provided with extended arms G', mechanism con- 5 nected therewith whereby the guard arms are raised or lowered in unison with the opening or closing of the cover, and an electric bell magnet and battery so connected with the movements of the cover and platform as to 6 ring when mail matter has been deposited on the platform and the cover shut, substantially as and in the manner described.

4. In an automatic electric mail box, the combination of the box A, provided with slot 6 C and cover C, with guards below the slot, a depressible platform underneath the guards, mechanism whereby the movements of the cover will raise or lower the guards, and depress the platform when mail matter has been 7 deposited thereon, and an electric bell, magnet and battery with contact points 5 and 6 whereby the circuit will be opened and the bell will ring when the platform is depressed, substantially as described. 7

5. In an automatic electric mail box, substantially as described, the combination of interior mechanism substantially as described, whereby a bell is rung when mail is deposited in the box, with a battery, electric circuit, 8 magnet and bell, of an exterior spring actuated rack and contact points whereby an electric current is generated on the deposit of bulky matter in the rack,a buzzer and electro magnet and switch whereby the deposition of 8 maileither into the interior of the box or rack will actuate the bell or buzzer either simultaneouslyorsingly,substantially as described.

AUGUST KRASTIN.

Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, C. W. PAINE. 

